GORILLA SITE SELECTION: A PRIMER

[ChaosCatalunya]

Top thread Silverback, many thanks, there is so much valuable information here.

Soul Stealer too, spot on.... the UK is Hot as Fcuk for indoor growing now, but outdoor growing is not really taken seriously by many, when it should be.

As Silverback says, the lowering of the sun during the season [Northern Hemisphere] is really important to consider when choosing a site as is aiming for early morning sun to dry out damp buds. Having a good cover or excuse can save your skin.... be it hunting, fishing, birdwatching, .....always "plan on getting caught" and when you are doing something risky make sure you do not get caught for a whole lot more. Julian in his excellent "Massive Outdoor" thread talks about going around with excuses and get out clauses, take heed and act before you have a nasty scare or worse.

GPS units are great, just do not get caught with one with multiple garden locations on it .... Likewise, remember mobile phones pinpoint your movements for years to come. How long till some bright spark thinks of checking busted grow locations against mobile phone records ?

One thing to add of my own, for Mediterranean growers..... try some guerilla planting under Olive trees.... they are not very water agressive [like Pines] and can shade the plant so it uses a lot less water, but grows and buds up just fine

 

[scaramanga]

Great thread SB! Lots of very useful info.

I would agree with Deft, that Google Earth can be an invaluable tool. I have used it to find most of my spots. It is still necessary to physically put feet on the ground, but it has become (for me) a valued asset.

Also picking up some outdoor activities to help in the cover for your search is a great subterfuge; helps keep one in shape also. Hiking, mountain biking, fishing, hunting, they all work. Wherever I can I like to mountain bike because I can cover a lot more distance than I ever could on foot. A one hour walk is a 15 minute leisurely ride, and those 5 gallons of water in the pack don't seem anywhere near as heavy. Hunting is also very good because you get to walk through areas of the forest where most people would not normally go, and its cool because your just "looking for the best spot". A caution on hunting though. In my area Deer hunters will shoot at anything that moves; not a joke. I find small game hunting to be far better. Deer season is over, and you get to be more mobile in the forest without the fear of being shot. Small game hunting is more of a stalk type hunt so you're expected to go wandering through the forest.

Also having a good 4x4 is really helpful for searching those off the beaten path areas.

DAMN I LOVE THE OUTDOORS.

 

[maiako]

Very helpful article ....ther is so much interesting information.

 

[Guest]

i'm only speaking of the FREE versions here

i'm only speaking of the FREE versions here

I would agree with Deft, that Google Earth can be an invaluable tool. I have used it to find most of my spots. It is still necessary to physically put feet on the ground, but it has become (for me) a valued asset.

I used Googlemaps.com for acouple years, but in 08' i discovered the "Bird's Eye View" option on maps.live.com and was blown away with the clarity of this feature. It works great around my local city, but only reaches so far out into our forest, still i was able to find some really nice new spots w/its use.

 

[Guest]

I bumped this up as i thought it might add to SG's guide.

 

[tRuKemist]

Really Good SB!

 

[moondawg]

I found this thread while searching around and it has some good information in it.

 

[puffinpass]

Although I do agree one should scout and look at spots during the summer months, I think its also a good idea to be looking at a potential area during the time you would be harvesting. Because a spot that may provide plenty of seclusion and privacy using vegetation during the summer may not be that way when it comes time to harvest in the fall. Lots of leaves have fallen so a person looking into the woods has better visibility. Your spot might be hard to find during the summer, but what about when its nearing harvest time?

 

[Sam the Caveman]

RIP silverback

 

[Leroy Brown]

Silverback- Your last post concerning finding grow sites really drove home a point for me....finding secure plot sites is lots tougher back east, I would wager if I took you to many of my old grow sites that I considered moderately secure, you would deem them down right isolated by your standards.
I admire your ambition to grow as many plants as you do under much more crowded conditions than I, I'd probably be a fish outa water in your hills.

According to 2007 figures, Oregon has 35.6 people per square mile, compare this to 101.7 per square mile for Kentucky, and 138 per square mile for Tennesee, other Appalachian states are similar this way, lots of people packed in.
53% of Oregon is Federally managed public lands, compared to .02 to 13.4 for states east of the Rockies. In the west, Federal public lands cover 29.9% of Montana at the lowest and 84.5% of Nevada at the highest. All this makes it lots easier to find secure plot locations out west.

Despite this lower population density, I am still always trying to find ways to get even further out in the boonies(I hope the GSWD will help me do that), out where years go by before a human even walks within a quarter mile of the plot location, thats ultimate security, doesn't eliminate the Helicopter threat, but helps with the rest substantially, as long as I don't plant large groups of plants together the choppers won't be much worry. Not going to jail means a lot to me.

Very interesting, as soon as I read this I had to check..........



My area hovers around 1K! No wonder I can never find those secluded spots, lol. I've been having good luck planting right in the open where people go often though, but you have to scatter them & keep them small, and do more of the hit 'n run waterings.

 

[Team Microbe]

*bump* out of respect for SILVERBACK, let's keep this thread goin boys! It's what he would've wanted...

 

[Team Microbe]

I'll chime in since I bumped -

I've found that guerrilla growing is very grey rather than black and white when it comes to security issues. Some spots may be right next to a highly populated highway, almost in viewing sight but will never get busted because nobody travels back there. While another spot may have all the loam soil and water in the world with a south-facing patch under some pine trees and behind some stinging nettles that is practically perfect... but if a nosey hunter owns that parcel of land and sees you even once he'll turn it into a full investigation because he simply has nothing better to do with his fucking time.


Traveling the area by foot with an alibi already planned out and ready is the best idea IMO. It saved my ass the other day as a matter of fact:

black bear travel this path to get to the stream

I was hiking up in bear country on some old logging land and I wasn't sure who traveled the area or who owned the area really yet, it was just a nice isolated forest I found on google earth. I set foot on the property with camera in hand with a DSLR camera, and bird shots already on that sd card. There was one traveled trail through the entire 600 acre parcel that looked to be an ATV road or something, and as I was leaving an old man and his grandson came walking down the main road. So much for isolated! I figured the spot was a bust since I already saw someone but after talking to him I discovered a lot about the property that I never would have known before...

I was informed that the property was an old logging site that was butchered, and had many trout streams and inaccessible logging roads still running all throughout. He also mentioned the owners moved to another state, and immediately a light bulb went off in my head and I said "This is perfect" to myself. I asked him if I'd get in trouble trespassing and he said he didn't think so, just don't poach or destroy the land. He said the trail is a snowmobile trail and people sometimes use it to get to a nearby pond. Basically, putting on a friendly face and not looking like a grower/smoker/stoner can give you some inside info if you run into the right people. This is what I meant by grey.

old logging road

southern facing slope

trout stream

these fill the area's trails - good for ripper prevention. I will try cloning these and planting them near my entrance ways as well...


These are the spots we should dream of every year folks. The more remote the better, but keep in mind people in remote towns are far more suspicious of strangers than city-folk. Be cautious of where you park your vehicle... make sure it's never close enough to your grow to be associated with it from the air in case of heli's in the area. I like to park then get out and bike to my spots. Knowing thy opponent should be the #1 thing on our to do list before planting on a piece of land:

Are there any hunters?

ATV trails?

Fishermen?

Is the land owned by a retired DEA agent?



Yeah, the last one sounds crazy but I may have done it before by accident. It really goes to show you could be stepping into dangerous territory sometimes without even knowing it! Also, never grow on federal land because federal crimes will be filed. Know your land and the area you plan on growing in before you grow, and you'll sleep a lot better at night.

 

[Team Microbe]

Also -

looking on your county's real estate websites can be extremely beneficial. Check the box for vacant land/farming land in the 50+ acre range. Look to see how long the property has been up for sale, and if the property has residency on site. No residency is what we're looking for here. Old organic farms up for sale are perfect, as well as lightly wooded parcels with streams or creeks running through them. Loam soil is commonly found on land with water running through it, so look for trout streams and things of that sort.

Email the realtor and say your father is moving up north and is looking for a place to build on. Act like you're interested in the property by asking questions someone would ask if they were really looking into it.

Ask to see more photos, and an exact location so you can "check the property out from an arial perspective on google earth". 9/10 times they'll give it up in hopes you buy. Don't be suspicious with anything you do or say however, for example do not email then from your email account MiketheHeadymaster@yahoo.com. Be discrete.



And if you really have the balls, you can schedule a showing and be showed around the property. This is a huge plus if you can pull it off, and don't look or sound like a stoner. Have a note pad with you and take notes, as well as a camera. The realtor will take you down the road that 90% of incoming traffic will travel upon arrival. This road is to be used ONCE, and at night only to unload pre-season hauls to your location's drop-site. Avoid this road from there-on out. Ask to see any other access trails to the property, and be conscious of where the property tour extends to. We'll obviously be wanting to avoid these areas when planting. Most of the time, you'll be the only person interested in that property for the time being and the level of threat from property showings won't be too much of concern. But you never know, so asking the realtor would be a wise thing to do. "So I'd imagine this place is getting a lot of interest, yeah?" See what they say, and judge for yourself whether they're telling the truth or just saying that to make you throw in an offer. Psychologically speaking, honesty gets honesty so if you sell your act and "open up" to the realtor before asking your big question then chances are they'll do the same to you.

"Honestly, no it hasn't. I don't know why, maybe the price is too high... you may be able to talk them down!".




If ^ this scares you then using bing's bird's eye view maps to scout the area would be a good secondary choice. Find trails that exit the property and route's to flee down if shit hits the fan. You always want to be prepared for that one day, even if it never happens. Motion detectors can be bought for under $35 a pop and can give you a huge heads up on LEO. Trail cams come in a little steeper at $120 but can give you vital information on who travels the area, when, and what they're doing there. This is all great to have when site-searching, as you may find that your area is a lot more traveled than you once thought.

 

[J.V]

Hey Team Microbe.......Had a good laugh after reading....
Is The land owned by a retired DEA Agent......That would be the definition of ironic.
And.....Miketheheadymaster@Yahoo.com was classic...

 

[hicksticky]

Hey microb great stuff, spot on ive been jumping through the pucka brush for many years.. it souds/looks like your in the same area.. so quick question,,,, maybe one of a few, what do you with not the hunters but these stash jacking deer, i had many plants busted by these buck holes, any pointers other than fence (which by the way is a bitch and big give away) ive try a lot of stuff hair, piss, colon... they still hop in straight and come out sideways lol

 

[Team Microbe]

Hey microb great stuff, spot on ive been jumping through the pucka brush for many years.. it souds/looks like your in the same area.. so quick question,,,, maybe one of a few, what do you with not the hunters but these stash jacking deer, i had many plants busted by these buck holes, any pointers other than fence (which by the way is a bitch and big give away) ive try a lot of stuff hair, piss, colon... they still hop in straight and come out sideways lol

I have yet to have a crop ripped by deer, but it's mainly because of the areas I grow in typically. IMO the only way to surely defend a plant from deer IS a fence, but nothing insane or anything like that... just a 2-4 ft enclosure around the stem and seedling while it's young. I've heard countless amounts of times that deer don't really bother plants once they reach mid-veg.. they really like young succulent foliage I guess. I've used that green plastic fencing that comes in 4' rolls, and I've used chicken wire. Chicken wire is more sturdy, but can be seen a little easier from above. The green plastic is still reflective towards light, and is less resistant compared to the chicken wire so I would really recommend the wire. Rusted wire or spray painted wire would be IDEAL. You can also crank up a good-sized fire and throw your bales of wire in the fire to char it up, I've seen growers doing this with great success.

The hair and piss myth doesn't work when there's a hungry deer around and he smells your girls. He will do whatever he can to get to them, this is another reason why I say go wire over plastic with the fence.

Another route would be to grow in an inaccessible area such as a swamp or a steep hillside, my swamp plants never get touched by anything other than caterpillars and the occasional beaver. The beavers are what made me start doing cages around new plants in the first place, I've never planted anywhere without one from then on. If you buy a bale or two of it and char it up, you can bring it to your site still rolled to stay stealthy. Bring wire cutters or bolt cutters if youre lazy and cut the cages on-site. I like to do drops at night or early morning before sunrise and then travel on foot or bike to my location during the daylight, dressed and playing my alibi in case of any human interactions. I'd drop wire and bolt cutters at night and come back to prepare the holes before transplanting normally...

 

[Team Microbe]

Hey Team Microbe.......Had a good laugh after reading....
Is The land owned by a retired DEA Agent......That would be the definition of ironic.
And.....Miketheheadymaster@Yahoo.com was classic...

LOL it's happened before man... ironic is right. They set a trail cam up and left me a plant as bait. I saw it with a cell phone app that pics up infrared and it was right by the entrance trail. I was wearing a headnet and gloves though so I grabbed her anyways. If I had a better season I would have left her but I needed her and was successful after I popped a lung sprinting to my car with 2 garbage bags full lol

For now on I'LL be the one putting trail cams up and I'LL monitoring the area... know thy opponent...

 

[hicksticky]

I have yet to have a crop ripped by deer, but it's mainly because of the areas I grow in typically. IMO the only way to surely defend a plant from deer IS a fence, but nothing insane or anything like that... just a 2-4 ft enclosure around the stem and seedling while it's young. I've heard countless amounts of times that deer don't really bother plants once they reach mid-veg.. they really like young succulent foliage I guess.

Thanks for the info. I guess i had really bad luck ans hungry deer last year, funny thing is they just ate the part they liked. and left me with a bunch of 6'' sections, i have in the past made natural fences out of sticks weaved together and one cool spot made of growing thorne bushes, and most of my spot are in swampy areas. but i think i will try the wire and burning Technic

Again thanks for your time

 

[Team Microbe]

Thanks for the info. I guess i had really bad luck ans hungry deer last year, funny thing is they just ate the part they liked. and left me with a bunch of 6'' sections, i have in the past made natural fences out of sticks weaved together and one cool spot made of growing thorne bushes, and most of my spot are in swampy areas. but i think i will try the wire and burning Technic

Again thanks for your time

Anytime man. I was actually reading my guerilla book last night and read something about deer.

They say getting "wolf-scat" or as they call it "zoo doo" works great if you live near a zoo at all. I know it scares the hell out of deer and they will steer clear of your patch if you sprinkle it around it.


Deer repellents don't work because they need to be re-applied after every watering. This raises security concerns if we're out in the bush re-applying this stuff every 2 weeks.


They also make these sprinkler scare crows if you have access to water:
http://www.amazon.com/Contech-CRO101-Scarecrow-Activated-Sprinkler/dp/B000071NUS

If you DO go with a deer repellent spray go with Deer Away - it tested highest amongst all other repellents at 46% effectiveness. This combined with one or even two other methods would most likely keep the bastards at bay. Thanks for bringing this up btw, I learned a thing or two looking into this just now...

 

[hicksticky]

Anytime man. I was actually reading my guerilla book last night and read something about deer.

They say getting "wolf-scat" or as they call it "zoo doo" works great if you live near a zoo at all. I know it scares the hell out of deer and they will steer clear of your patch if you sprinkle it around it.


thanks i never thought of that, got the old wheels spinning, wounder if dog scat would do.....cause i dont leave near a zoo but my buddy has a hybrid wolf mix and that thing stinks when it does its biz, i am going to try it this year.........thanks i might even do a test run my neighbor feeds them regularly so i think if i put some around their "regular" food source and they stay away from that, then i think my ladys stand a chance..